Index: Why the names of Ahle Bait (as) are not mentioned in Holy Quran?
1. Allah’s Sunnah
2. Distortion in the Quran
3. Examination
4. General vs Specifics
5. Example of the past nations
6. People of the Reminder
The opponents of Shias reject Imamat on the count that if the Imams or the Ahle Bait (a.s.) are so important, then why are they (a.s.) not named in the Holy Quran so that the Muslims could take guidance?
Reply
‘Ask the People of the Reminder’
If the Muslims by claiming that Allah has not named the Ahle Bait (a.s.) / Imams (a.s.) in the Quran believe that it is the end of story and they are free to choose a leader for themselves, then they are mistaken.
Allah has ordered the Muslims in the Holy Quran:
‘…so ask the People of the Reminder if you do not know.’ (Surah Nahl (16): Verse 43)
According to the exegesis of both sects ‘الذِّكْرِ’ is the title of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) الذِّكْرِ أَهْلَ refers to the Ahle Bait (a.s.) of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
If the Muslims were really interested in knowing about the identity of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) / Imams (a.s.), they only had to ‘ask the People of the Reminder’, they would have certainly learnt about the identity of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) viz. Ali (a.s.), Fatima (s.a.) Hasan (a.s.) and Husain (a.s.) and the nine infallible descendants of Imam Husain (a.s.).
- Saheeh Muslim Book 2, tradition 424; Book 44 tradition 91, Book 31 tradition 5,955 under the Chapter of the Virtues of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
- Jaame’ al-Tirmidhi vol. 5, Book 44, tradition 2999, Book 47, tradition 3,269 under the interpretation of the Verse of Mubaahelah (Surah Ale Imran (3): Verse 61)
And when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) offered to write down his will and identify his successors to serve as guidance for the community, some companions, led by the second pseudo-caliph, foiled this attempt and even went as far as calling the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) insane (Allah forbid).
- Sahih Bukhari Chapter on Knowledge, v 22,
- Musnad-e-Ahmad b. Hanbal, Research of Ahmad Muhammad Shakir, trad 2,996
- Tabaqaat of Ibn Saad v 2, p 244 Beirut Edition
After all this, the Muslims have the audacity to question the Shias why the Quran and the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) never identified the Ahle Bait (a.s.)?!